For decades, most households in Malawi, especially in hard-to-reach areas, have lived without power. In fact, just 2% of rural households are connected to electricity. The majority rely on firewood and kerosene for cooking and light—fuels that are costly, polluting, and dangerous to human health and the environment. 

However, that changed for four villages, Nkuta, Mulima, Kashoni and Khanyizira, when farmers partnered with local stakeholders and decided to collectively invest €35,790 of their Fairtrade Premium into a MEGA hydropower grid.  

The investment of the Fairtrade Premium fund enabled the cooperative to build high and low voltage lines, install four transformers, and connect over 2,000 households to the hydropower grid. Now, more than 8,600 people, including students, farmers, health workers, and entrepreneurs, have access to reliable, renewable electricity. 

In Mulima village, 48-year-old farmer Madalitso Kamwendo says the difference is personal and profound. “Now I can cook, iron, run a fridge, and even use a fan during hot months,” she says. The electricity has also helped her launch a business selling thobwa, a local fermented maize drink. “I used to throw away what I couldn’t sell in a day. Now I can store it, and my profits are growing.”  

For Edwin Mapira, 47, electricity has made his maize milling business more efficient and affordable. “Diesel was expensive and unreliable,” he explains. “Now I can serve my customers faster, and the costs are lower for everyone”. 

Power for Education and Health  

Electricity has also brought light to learning. At Chilingwe Primary School, which serves 657 learners, the power supply has enabled evening study hours, especially for Class 8 students preparing for national exams. Eleven-year-old Tendai Ganiza, a Class 7 student, says it’s made a big difference. “I study at school and at home now. It helps me do better in class.” 

And at Bondo Health Centre, the local health center, the arrival of power made it possible to build and operate a maternity ward. With better lighting and refrigeration for vaccines and medicines, the clinic now offers safer deliveries and better maternal care. 

From farmers and students to business owners and health workers, this initiative is transforming daily life and expanding what’s possible. By replacing wood, diesel, and kerosene with clean hydropower, communities are improving indoor air quality, reducing emissions, and helping to preserve local forests. Families breathe cleaner air at home. Trees remain standing. And with reliable electricity, opportunities for education, entrepreneurship, and overall wellbeing continue to grow.